Travis shares the story of connection, community and legacy through this Sumo handprint given to him as a gift from a Japanese colleague.

He had accepted a job teaching English at a small high school in Japan. He and his wife didn’t speak Japanese and most of his fellow teachers didn’t speak English. This was daunting at first but they found their way through their two years there.

Travis’s love of sports connected him with one of the office staff there. They played soccer together and tried to communicate in their very limited English & Japanese.

Once when he asked what Travis was planning to do over the weekend, Travis told him that he was going to Sumo. His friends face lite up when he heard the word Sumo.

When Travis returned to school the next week, the other English teacher, who spoke Japanese told Travis that his friend wanted to see him in the office. After getting over the feeling that he may have done something wrong, he went to the office and his friend handed him this neatly wrapped rolled up print. Travis, of course, appreciated this kind gesture but didn’t understand it’s significance.

The English teacher told Travis that this handprint was from one of the most famous Sumo’s in the country who was going to retire that year. He told Travis this handprint was the same as if he had gotten Michael Jordon to sign a basketball and then gifted it to someone. His friend had called in many favors and Travis realized that even though you don’t share a language with someone you can share a bond, a friendship.

It was THE nicest things anyone has ever done for him. When his wife found it & had it professionally framed and gave it to him for Christmas a decade later, after moving with them around the world, he came to see how these Things matter and it warms his heart.

This short story was clipped from my live virtual Show & Tale: Significant Objects in the fall of 2021 which encourage us to build connections, community & legacy one story of stuff at a time. ______________________________________________________________________________

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